Attractive city for young people to live and work

Today’s news is filled with messages of crisis and change in the global markets and the world of work. It is a confusing, precarious and scary world for the young generations thinking about careers, skills and jobs. Finding and sustaining a job is profoundly different today and tomorrow from the past decades, and young people are exposed to sudden changes, precarious employment and careers, and a need for continual re-adaption. Back in the day, most young people finished school and went straight into work, and stayed there, and stayed in the city. That’s all changed now, and the transition into employment has become longer and, for many young people, less direct, also for the better educated..

At the same time attitudes and behaviours of young people have changed. Young people are more aware and connected – and at the same time often inadequately empowered to deal with the new challenges. What can cities do to better:

Get young people to become a part of the solution and not just seen as a problem?

Give the young people a voice and power?

Tap in new ways to the talents and energy of the young generations cocreate with young people, and other stakeholders new ways to connect education to employment, workplaces and work demand?

Provide spaces, facilitation and brokerage for promoting employment of young people?